Authors

1 Assistant professor of Psychology, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrkord, Iran

2 Assistant professor of Epidemiology, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrkord, Iran

Abstract

Background & Aims: Major depression is one of the common psychiatric disorders imposing negative
effects on patients and their families. There are several treatment methods for depression. The purpose of the
present study was to determine the effect of combination of cognitive behavioral group therapy, family
psycho-education and medication versus medication alone on the improvement of major depression
disorder.
Methods: This study was a clinical trial in which using convenience sampling 60 patients with major
depression admitted in Hajar Hospital Shahrekord /Iran were randomly selected. The patients were randomly
allocated into three groups (n=20). The first group underwent medication therapy as well as cognitive
behavioral group therapy. The second group received medication therapy, cognitive behavioral group
therapy and family psycho-education. The third group, served as the control group, only received medication
therapy. Beck Depression Inventory II was applied to all three groups before and after therapeutic
interventions.
Results: Our findings indicate a significant difference between control group and both cognitive behavioral
group therapy and family psycho-education after therapeutic interventions. In other words, while both
cognitive behavioral group therapy and family psycho-education groups showed significant difference with
medication therapy group, no significant difference was found between cognitive behavioral group therapy
and family psycho-education group.
Conclusion: Medication therapy accompanied by cognitive behavioral therapies and family psychoeducation
is more efficient in improving depression symptoms compared to pure medication therapy

Keywords